Do you train while injured?

Decided to start this thread because of a comment I made in another thread recently and a discussion I had with a 53 year old student today. Here's the comment:

The major problem I see with most dedicated sport MA enthusiasts is that when they do get injured, they don't take enough of a break from training to fully heal. Almost everyone of the guys I know that train hard are guilty of this, including myself.

Addiction to sparring seems to make one disregard personal injuries to a certain extent.

The older student decided to continue to train even though he was recently diagnosed with a leaky heart valve. He took three months off and then, with the consent of his physician, started training again. While this is a rather extreme example of what I'm talking about, it got me to wondering how many of you train when you probably shouldn't?

Do you train while you're hurt? If so, why? What was the nature of your injury? How did it affect your training and what was your reason for continuing to train while injured?

i am almost consistently injured, usually nothing big, sometimes things like pulled muscles, bruised ribs etc. You have to simply train around these kind of things, combat sports aren't patty cakes and you will get injured training, if you stop training every time you get injured you won't go anywhere fast thats for sure. If you train hard and smart you can generally avoid excacerbating injuries unless its something fairly dire

As stated, if you can't deal with some hurt, go join the Bridge Club, or collect stamps, something that doesn't involve people trying to damage you for fun.

Most anybody that trains with any degree of consistency and devotion is going to suffer an injury from time to time. Unless training would result in greater injury, you're just as well to suck it up and keep going. You'll be stronger for it in the long run.

For instance: I sustained an injury to my right shoulder last year, which made it pretty impossible for me to do kendo well. So, I trained with my left hand; one handed swings, drills, etc. My footwork and timing improved, and I dramatically increased my striking speed and force by strengthening the left hand. Wasn't much fun, but it worked out in the end.

I went to my chiropractor today. It seems the pain I've been feeling the past 5 months training when I threw my rear back hand (left) wasn't due to tendonitis.

My elbow was dislocated.

Originally Posted by Sifu Rudy Abel

"Just what makes a pure grappler think he can survive with an experienced striker. Especially if that striker isn't following any particular rule set and is well aware of what the grapplers strategies are".

If training isn't going to make it worse, and the injury allows it then sure. For example I trained through bruised ribs, but right now I have a sprained knee that makes it difficult to walk, let alone train. I'd try to work through it if the doctor hadn't told me that doing so risked tearing the knee.

I will push through injuries as long as they dont get worse by training. That is where shin splints are pure evil because although not to painfull unless you rest them they just get worse. My shoulders are constantly being hyperextended from rugby but I get over it.